Turbotransmission



June 5, 1945. Rv TEAGNO 2,377,825

TURBO TRANSMISS ION Filed. May 28, 1941 INVENTOR. 7 'z 2 Z. c/bSEPH 8 7214mm BY WVQZM hatented June 5, 1945 unites ll iliairns.

This invention relates to turbotransmissions and more particularly to means for controlling the movement of the reaction member thereof.

Broadly the invention comprehends a turbo transmission including means responsive to the fluid force and operative to engage and disengage the reaction member from the fluid circuit to ermit function of the unit as a torque converter or fluid coupling.

An object of the invention is to provide means for controlled movement of the reaction member into and out of the fluid circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means for permitting movement of thereaction member lineally parallel to the axis into and out of the fluid circuit. 1

Another object of the invention is the rovision of a turbotransmission including means responsive to fluid directional flow within the turbo for controlling the movement of the reaction member.

A further object is to provide a turbotransmission including fluid direction pilot vanes for advancing and retracting the reaction member into and out oi the fluid flow.

a still further object is the provision of a turbctransmission including adjustable fluid direction pilot vanes for controlled movement of the reaction member.

And yet another object is the provision of a turbotransmission including, a set of fluid direction pilot vanes adjustable to any desired torque multiplication to thereby advance or retract the reaction member as the torque demands.

Another object of the invention is to provide a turbotransmission including reaction vanes, ad.- justable fluid direction pilot vanes, and means carried by the pilot vanes for advancing and retracting the reaction vanes from the fluid flow.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing and in which- Fig. l. is a sectional view of a torque converter. embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram illustrating'the relation of the pilot vanes and reaction member vanes to the first and second stages of the turbine showing the directional characteristics of fluid flow at the initial speed of the turbine; and

Fig. 3 is a diagram illustrating the relation of the pilot vanes and reaction member vanes to the first and second stagesof the turbine showing the directional characteristics of fluid flow at increased speed.

Referring to the drawing for more specific details of the invention, it represents the cranlt case of an internal combustion engine, and it the crank shaft oi the engine. The crank case has secured thereto a bell housing it having therein a reservoir it provided with a filling opening ill normally closed as by a plug it.

The reservoir has an annular hollow flange 22 communicating directly with the reservoir, and the flange is provided with an inlet port 24% and a discharge port to. A ring it mounted on one side of the flange, supports a fluid seal to, and mounted on the other side of the flange is a pair of oppositely disposed rings 32 and it. The ring 32 has internal splines it, and the ring it supports a bearing to and a fluid seal to, and the bearing 33 is in axial alignment with the crank shaft iii.

A torque converter, indicated generally at ill, includes a housing ill having a hub it bolted or otherwise secured to the crank shaft ill, and an oppositely disposed hub is supporting a, ring Eli embraced by the fluid seal till. The housing t l has thereon a ring gear lit for connecting a starter, not-shown, and a plurality of impeller blades to are suitably mounted on the inner wall of the housing till,

it rotary pump to includes a housing as having an eccentric chamber so, an inlet port 62, and a discharge port so communicating-with the housing ti l oi the converter, and a rotor so movable in the housing. The rotor tit includes a hub secured to the crank shaft i2, and a concentric shaft tit extended through a closure-plate ill on one side of the housing. The shaft to has secured thereto blades it fitted in the chamber 6d. The rotor is concentrically bored, and. fitted in the bore is a bearing ill in axial alignment with the crank shaft A center shaft it supported for rotation on the bearings 32; and it in axial alignment with the crank shaft iii, has splined thereto a clutch memher it, and journaled in the center shaft is a driven shaft to having thereon a clutch member 32 for cooperation with the clutch member ill. The center shaft id is splined to the housing to of the pump, and a turbine t l rotatable in the housmg till includes a web as supported on and secured to the pump housing as for rotation therewith, and the web supports a two-stage turbine at and til. ii

As, shown, the first stage of the turbine consists of a plurality of vanes 92, suitably secured to an outer shroud or and to an inner shroud 9B. The inner shroud 9o is fixedly secured to an inner shroud section so adjacent the impeller blades til and-the shroud section 98 is fixedly secured to l by the pump into a free passage of fluid it is desired to another inner shroud section I secured to a plurality of vanes I02 mounted on the web 86. The vanes I02 constitute the second stage of the turbine.

A sleeve I 04 slipped over the center shaft 76 and fixedly secured to the ring 32 by the splines 36, is supported in spaced relation to the center shaft and provides in conjunction therewith an annular passage I06 for delivery of fluid from the discharge port 26 of the reservoir to the intake port 62 of the pump 56. Fluid is delivered the housing 44, and returns from the housing to the reservoir through ring 50 on the hub 48 of the housing 44 and the inlet port 24 of the reservoir.

The sleeve I04 has a splined portion I00 and a circumferential groove H0 and fitted for axial movement in the splined portion is a reaction member II2retained in one direction of movement by a ring H4 fixedly secured to the sleeve I04. Fitted for free rotation in the circumferential groove H0 is a fluid direction pilot member I-I6.

The reaction member II2 includes a heavy sleeve H8 supporting a web I20 movable in the housing 44. A plurality of vanes I22 are mounted on the web and support a shroud I24. The sleeve II8 has an inner spline I26 corresponding to the spline I08 on the sleeve I04 and also an external thread I28.

The fluid direction pilot member I I6 includes a rimmed section I30 having internal threads I32 for cooperation with the threads I28 of the reaction member and a web I 34 supported by the rimmed section has thereon a plurality of adjustable pilot vanes I 36. A flange I36 on the rimmed section I30 corresponds to the circumferential groove IIO of thesleeve I 04. The web I34 has a plurality of openings I40 therethrough to provide from the housing to the inlet port 24 of the reservoir.

The pilot vanes I36 mounted on the web I34 and pivotal on pins I42 have screws I44 passing through arcuateslots I46-in the Web I 34 so that the vanes may besecured in any predetermined position. This position is determined by the point in the torque multiplication curve where move the guide vanes from the fluid circuit and to again return them. The fluid action upon which the pilot vanes depend to function is derived automatically from the torque -demand placed upon the turbine. This demand causes the absolute angle of discharge of fluid from the first stage of the turbine to shift so as to act alternately upon the desired surface of the vanes I36 to thereby advance or retract the reaction member I I2.

In a normal operation assuming that theunit is filled to its normal capacity with suitable fluid, transmission of force from the power plant or in-- ternal combustion enginethrough the crank shaft I2 results in driving the pump and the impeller. The pump delivers fluid to the impeller at a rate proportionate to the rate of speed of rotation of the crank shaft. The impeller energizes the fluid, and the energy of the fluid is received on the vanes 92 constituting the first stage of the turbine, the vanes I36 of the fluid pilot mcmbiar, the vanes I22 of the reaction member, and the vane I02 of the second stage of the turbine causing rotation of the turbine. v

This rotation of the turbine results in driving the center shaft 16 and the driven shaft 80 clutched thereto. Upon rotation of the center shaft the rotary pump 56 is driven and, accordingly, the pump delivers a smaller volume of fluid to the impeller because at this period the rotor of the pump and the housing of the pump are rotating in the same direction.

As the speed of rotation of the impeller and the turbine increase, the energy of the fluid increases proportionately, and this increased energy of the fluid acting on the vanes 92 of the turbine causes increase in speed of the turbine. As this increased speed of the turbine approaches that of the impeller, the angle of the fluid leaving the first stage of the turbine shifts from impinging on the faces of the vanes I 36 to impinge on the backs of the vanes, causing the rotation of the fluid direction pilot means H6 in the groove I I0 to thereby spiral on the threaded sleeve of the reaction member II2 so as to move the reaction member out of the fluid circuit in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation. With the increased energization of the fluid by the impeller the reaction member is moved from the circuit by the action of the pilot means'until the reaction member has moved to its-fully retracted position and thereupon locks the member against the resistance of the fluid force impinging on the vanes of the member. Hereafter the turbotransmission functions as a fluid coupling.

Upon decrease in speed of rotation of the impeller and the turbine, the energy of the fluid decreases proportionately and the volume of fluid delivered by the pump increases proportionately. The fluid discharged from the first stage of the turbine now impinges on the faces of the vanes I36 of the pilot member causing the reaction member II2 to move into the fluid circuit upon the consequent rotation and spiralling of the threads of the fluid pilot-member H6. The inward movement of the reaction member into the fluid circuit is limited by the retaining ring II 4. It is obvious from the foregoing that the pump 56 delivers fluid to the impeller at a rate proportionately to the relative speed of the impeller' and the turbine, and that th maximum volume of fluidis delivered to the impeller when the turbine is static and the impeller is rotating at stalling speed, and, correspondingly, the minimum volume of fluid is delivered by the pump to the impellerwhen the unit is operating at its maximum efliciency, that is, when the least degree of slip exists between the impeller and turbine.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain specific embodiments, the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will readily occur to persons skilled in the art. The invention is, therefore,

to be limited only as indicated by the scope of v the appended claims.

Having thus described the various features of the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a fluid transmission, an impeller, a turbine providing in conjunction therewith a fluid circuit, reaction vanes lineally movable into and out of the fluid circuit, and independent pilot vanes coupled to the reactionvanes and rotatable in the fluid circuit actuatedby fluid directional flow in the circuit for controlling the movement of the reaction vanes.

2. In a fluid transmission, a primary means for energizing the fluid, a secondary means for receiving energy from the fluid, reaction vanes for deviating the fluid movable into and out the movement of the reaction member.

4. A fluid transmission comprising a primary means for energizing fluid and secondary means for receiving energy from the fluid providing in conjunction with one another a fluid circuit, reaction vanes lineally movable into and out of the fluid circuit, and pilot vanes in the circuit having threaded engagement with the reaction member for controlling the movement thereof said pilot vanes being rotatable in one direction by means of fluid impinging on their backs and rotatable in the other direction by means of fluid impinging on their faces, the rotation thereof being limited dependent on the axial movement of the reaction vanes.

5. In a turbine power transmission, a driving shaft, a driven shaft, a primary wheel mounted on the driving shaft, a secondary wheel mounted on the driven shaft, a stationary member; said primary and secondary wheel providing in conjunction with one another a fluid circuit, a reaction member mounted on the stationary member and movable axially thereon into and out of the fluid circuit, a pilot member supported on the stationary member and rotatable thereon, and means between the pilot member and reaction member for controlling the movement of the reaction member, said pilot member being cooperation with the fluid circuit during all phases of operation of the turbine.

6. A fluid power transmitter comprising a primary means for energizing the fluid and a secondary means for receiving energy from the fluid providing in conjunction therewith a fluid circuit, a stationary member having a straight spline and a circumferential groove, a reaction member cooperating with and axially movable. into and out of the fluid circuit on the spline of the stationary member, and a pilot member in the circuit actuated by fluid flow thereon ef-\ fecting rotation thereof having a part rotatable in the circumferential groove and a art engaging the reaction member for controlling the movement thereof.

7. A fluid transmission comprising an impeller having fixed blades, a turbine having fixed vanes and providing in conjunction with the impeller a fluid circuit, a reaction member having vanes movable into and out of the fluid circuit, a pilot member having vanes rotatable'in the circuit, and means for coupling the reaction member to the pilot member to provide for movement of the reaction vanes axially lineally into and out of the circuit upon rotation of the pilot member due to directional fluid flow in the circuit.

8. In a fluid transmission, an impeller, a turbine providing in conjunction therewith a fluid circuit, a reaction member axially lineally movable into and out of the fluid circuit, a pilot member having vanes in the circuit responsive to directional fluid flow therein providing for rotation thereof, said pilot member rotatable in a reverse direction to the turbine and impeller and relative to the ,reaction member during one phase of operation of the transmission and rotatable in the same direction asthe turbine and impeller and relative to the reaction member during another phase of operation of the device, and a threaded connection between the pilot member and reaction member whereby the reaction member moves axially lineally when the pilot member rotates.

JOSEPH R. TEAGNO. 

